Leadership

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen. -PBO

Every now and then I like to go look up some quotes on various topics and see what's out there. This one is a leadership quote from BrainyQuote.com. (linked below) And it makes me wonder just what our President thinks a leader is. So time for a bit of digging in the good ol big green sleeping pill. (For those of you not familiar with Marine jargon, it's the Marine Corps Handbook that is a staple of a Marine's training.) 


There are 11 leadership principles outlined and they are as follows:

1. Be Technically and Tactically Proficient
2. Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement
3. Know Your Marines and Look Out for Their Welfare
4. Keep Your Marines Informed
5. Set the Example
6. Insure that the Task is Understood, Supervised and Accomplished
7. Train your Marines as a Team
8. Make Sound and Timely Decisions
9. Develop a Sense of Responsibility in your Subordinates
10. Employ your Command in Accordance with its Capabilities
11. Take Responsibility for your Actions

Of course these are tailored towards Marines as leaders, but the principles still apply to any leadership role, only slight tweaks are needed, such as train your workers vice train your Marines. And so far nothing about limiting their air condition settings at home or restricting their meals or anything that imply's look acceptable to the rest of the world has been mentioned. 


Maybe it's a leadership trait? Let's take a look:

1. Bearing - general appearance, how you carry yourself and present yourself
2. Courage - taking action despite fear
3. Decisiveness - making good decisions without delay, weighing all facts against one another
4. Dependability - making yourself a reliable person that others can trust you to perform your duties
5. Endurance - mental and physical stamina to accomplish the mission NO MATTER WHAT!
6. Enthusiasm - sincere interest in the performance of your duties
7. Initiative - taking action in the absence of orders, getting what needs to be done, done before being told to do it
8. Integrity - honesty and truthfulness in all actions and words
9. Judgement - ability to think about things clearly, calmly and without personal bias
10. Justice - being fair and consistent when giving rewards or punishments
11. Knowledge - the understanding of science or art, acquiring information on a certain subject
12. Loyalty - faithfulness to your country, the Corps and to your seniors, peers and subordinates
13. Tact - the ability to deal with people while maintaining good relations, (or my personal favorite explanation, the ability to tell someone they are an idiot and have them thank you for it) 
14. Unselfishness - putting other's well being before your own

Now here we at least get something that makes it look like a good leader should be worried about how his country is observed to the rest of the world, but look again. Bearing is a personal trait, it involves YOU, It's not micromanaging those around you it's taking the initiative in your own life so that you look good.  


I have never claimed that being a good leader was easy. It requires thought and preparation and dedication to the art. There are leadership styles that must be taken into consideration, and they will vary depending on the job that needs to be done, the people you have under your supervision and the time restraints placed on that particular job. 


These traits and principles I have presented are just a starting point for being a leader. There is more information out there on being an effective leader but let's face it, PBO didn't even fit the basic description of a leader with his quote, there is no way he is ready for the 2nd step before mastering the basics. I for one do not wish to keep him as a leader in our great United States of America, because without an effective leader at the helm we can not drive forward to leading the world in Economy, Technology, Pharmacy, Exports and Imports, Education, or any other category. 


American's wake up and demand excellence from our leaders. Demand that we want guidance not micromanagement. We don't want more regulations, we don't want more confusing taxes. We don't want big brother over our shoulders, what we want is a strong leader that unifies us. We need Hope and Change from our present state. Sorry PBO talking about grand ideals is fantastic, but in practice you failed miserably. Your mouth wrote the American's a check that you just couldn't cash. I think that the most honorable thing you could do at this point Mr. President is realize your faults and take your name out of the hat for this upcoming November elections. I know it's hard admitting you are in over your head, but that's precisely where you are. 


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